Training Services

Grand Tour

The Horse Studio specializes in high quality, custom and unique equestrian products from around the world. Our international collection includes horse and pony tack, designer and rider apparel, DVDs, books, horse blankets and accessories and more.
We also cover all disciplines including dressage, show jumping, hunters, western equitation, barrel racing and reining, polo and eventing and driving.
Clickhereto see our fine selection.

Willowview Hill Farm Articles

Jenny Rolfe. Breathe Life into Training---

‘The horse is a sensitive herd animal always seeking a place of calmness' (photo by Rafael Lemos)

CORE-BREATHING- to ENHANCE CONNECTION

Core breathing is an extremely potent tool which can help us connect with our
horse. The power of less stimulation will very quickly create a more sensitive
response. Our calm, focused state of mind will help us to communicate with
more awareness and perception. The horse is an extremely sensitive herd animal
so we can use this trait to gain more subtle communication. His language is to be
constantly aware of changes in body language, tension and breathing which
would ensure his survival in his natural environment.
One significant connection between man and horse, is the deep outward sigh.
You may have a horse, feeling tense in his work. He could be an over achiever
always trying to please, or he may just be excitable and spooky, lacking in
confidence. To restore a calmer attitude, just ride on a loose rein in walk or
come to a halt. Then give a deep outward sigh to encourage the horse to release
his tension. This can be repeated at regular intervals, throughout training and
always at the end of a session of work. Soon the horse will take a sigh as he
needs to release tension which will help to create a more harmonious
relationship. Stress related illness will also be alleviated as the horse feels more
confident and calm.
Strong leg aids and spurs can often be replaced by using power and mobility within our core.

BREATHING AND ENERGY FLOW.

'Take a deep outward sigh and walk forward on a loose rein to relax the horse'.

Correct core breathing is similar to filling a glass of water - from the bottom to
the top. Once the glass is full you empty it from the top to the bottom. This is
similar to our pattern of breathing as we breathe air in from our core which fills
our upper body. The outward breath releases through our upper torso and flows
down into our core.
In this way balance and energy flow can be controlled by breathing which will
assist the horse in his own self-carriage. Try this exercise, which demonstrates
how core breathing can create more energy. Pick up a ball and throw it to a
partner with no focus at all, on your breathing. Before you throw the ball again,
take a deep inward breath as you prepare to throw the ball. Then exhale
strongly and direct the energy towards your hand as you release to throw the
ball. As you direct the energy from your breath into your arm, the ball will be
thrown with much more intense power and speed.
If we can influence energy when throwing a ball, through focus on our
breathing, how much more can we influence a sensitive horse.

CONNECTION

‘Lungeing will help to relieve excess energy’

Lunging or loose work will help the horse to release excess energy and will also
gives us the opportunity to connect with the horse before we ride.
When we initially sit on the horse it is worth taking a few moments to check our
posture from top to toe (more details in previous articles or on my web site)
Then take a very deep outward sigh, down into your core to release any tension
and allow the next inward breath, just to happen, in a natural way.
When you feel calm and focused, take up an allowing contact with the reins.
Inhale and exhale more deeply. The exhalation will ripple down your spine
releasing your core which encourages the horse to move forwards. This
movement for the rider is similar to sitting on a swing and pushing it forwards
and upwards, but it is much more subtle.
If your horse does not respond, use your legs once and if needed back up with a
tap of the whip on your own leg. Very quickly the horse will tune into this
sequence of aids and respond from your breath alone.
When the horse is walking forwards breathe naturally and rhythmically with
every few strides. Imagine you are jogging and supporting your running with
steady inhalation and exhalation.

TRANSITIONS - FROM WALK to TROT

Walk forwards in a good energetic rhythm and prepare with a deeper
inhalation. Then take a deep breath outwards and feel the energy ripple down
through your spine, releasing the core and mobilising the seat.
If the horse does not respond then use your legs once and back up with a tap of
the whip, if needed.
Focus on regular natural breathing using deeper exhalation for more impulsion.
If your horse is too strong , re-balance with more focus on deeper inhalation and
if necessary close your fingers on the reins. Once he has responded, relax the
fingers into a more allowing contact. Encourage the horse to listen to core
breathing as your first aid when asking for any change, whether in pace or
direction. Techniques of breathing can energise a lazy horse or equally will calm
anxiety and enhance the harmony between horse and rider.

TRANSITION FROM TROT to CANTER (Right rein)

To prepare for the canter strike off , ensure the horse is balanced, with sufficient
energy and working correctly on the circle. To prepare, take a deeper inward
breath and feel the horse re-balance, then take a longer and deeper exhalation
whilst allowing your inside (right) shoulder and leg to move slightly forwards.
As you exhale, breathe into the inside (right) seat bone which will release and
energise the canter strike-off.
Allow the elevation of the movement, through your upper torso.
The following exercise on the ground will help you to visualise this feeling:
Walk for a few strides then prepare to take a step upwards, as if climbing a
staircase. As you place your foot on the stair, your upper body has to elevate to
allow the space for your body to lift. In a much more subtle way, this is similar to
the feeling of elevation within the upper torso, when you ride. The power from
the hind limbs of the horse will create more lightness and mobility, in his
shoulders. This elevation can become blocked if the movement is not absorbed
by the upper torso of the rider.
Maintain your awareness of posture and breathing as when you concentrate it
can be easy to hold onto tightness and tension in different places. Sometimes this
is held between the shoulder blades and also within a locked, tight jaw and the
horse will mirror this tension. You can reap huge rewards by spending some
time on the ground with a focus on self awareness.

BODY AWARENESS- RIDING A CIRCLE

You may find this an interesting technique to help to maintain the correct bend,
when you are riding on a circle.
Imagine you have a rope hanging heavily through your upper torso, down into
the centre of your core, just below the navel area.
Now imagine a hand twisting the rope, just a few degrees . If you are on the left
rein, then this would be a small turn to the left. This feeling instigates a small
movement from the centre of your core, which slightly turns the whole body,
within a relaxed balanced frame. The horse will quickly mirror this slight
change in balance. The legs and shoulders will alter slightly in position, but the
balance is instigated from your strong centred core, for the horse to follow.
Try this exercise whilst walking the horse on a loose rein and feel how effectively
the horse will follow the movement from your core. Just walk forwards slowly
and feel that deep, centred rope turning left for a few strides then walk forwards
for a few strides and repeat to the right. The horse will quickly mirror the
changes from your core. Prepare to turn with a deeper inhalation and exhale to
release your lower back when you begin to change direction. This will help to
control the exercise.

REIN-BACK

Ensure the horse is standing straight and with little pressure on the reins just
take a deeper inward breath. When you exhale, direct your breathing from the
left to right seat bone. Create a flow of backward energy from your core, as if
walking backwards. Once the horse tunes into these aids, the pressure on the
reins will become minimal as your core and shift in balance will direct him.

CONTROLLING THE QUARTERS

If the horse swings his quarters out from the circle, direct your outward breath
to flow down into your outside seat bone. This will create a release and a flow of
energy. The horse will feel this pressure and instinctively move away from the
outside seat bone to become more centred under the rider.
This technique of breathing into your seat bones can be used to improve feel and
flow within all paces, lateral exercises and more advanced collected movements.

BREATHE INTO COLLECTION

'Maintain awareness of posture and core-breathing’

Collection can be enhanced with more emphasis on controlled, steady corebreathing
which will support the upper torso as it absorbs the extra elevation.
Relax the jaw and breathe into 'allowing' shoulders’ to support the movement of
your spine. This enhances fluidity as energy is harnessed and released, as a wave
in the sea.
The core becomes stronger but maintains mobility and the upper torso lengthens
and strengthens with this pattern of breathing. It encourages a feeling of pride
and also lightness in the upper body which can more efficiently absorb the extra
uphill movement of the horse within collection.
These breathing techniques can be the essence of developing passage and
lightness where the rider not only moves with the horse but breathes with the
movement.

THE JOURNEY

Each day will bring more challenges, as we become both teacher and pupil,
together with our horse. Some days the energetic horse will tune in quickly to
the outward breath so more time can be spent riding just a few paces forward
then using the deeper inhalation to regain his attention. The horse will quickly
understand that this is the way of going without the constant pressure of leg aids
from the rider. Excess pressure from our legs against the rib cage creates
discomfort, tightness for the horse. This results in stilted paces and disrupts both
stability and balance for the rider.
If we make a conscious effort to feel joyous when riding, physically our facial
muscles will relax, which releases the spine to mobilise and flow with the
movement. Our state of mind will control our physical ability to connect.
These techniques are a journey of discovery which reveal the connection which
can be built between horse and rider, breathing life into training.
Jenny gives clinics with her Iberian stallions. Her book and new DVD are
available from www.TheHorseStudio.com